After three decades on air, this newsreader vanished without warning—and for good reason

When a familiar face vanishes from your nightly television routine, it leaves a gap that is hard to ignore. For nearly a year, Queensland viewers wondered why veteran newsreader Rob Brough was missing from their screens. Now the answer has emerged—and it reveals a decision driven by love, loss, and the unshakable pull of family.

Rob Brough had been a fixture in Queensland living rooms for more than 30 years, a steady presence who guided communities through daily headlines. At 70, the broadcaster chose to step away from Channel 7’s news desk to care for his daughter, who was battling aggressive cancer. For him, the decision was what he described as ‘an easy choice’, because family always came first.

From humble beginnings to national television

Brough grew up with his brother Mal in a fibro home at Slacks Creek, where their father—crippled by polio—grew vegetables to support the family. His broadcasting journey started in the 1970s as a radio announcer at 4VL in Charleville before moving through Warwick, Brisbane, and finally the Gold Coast.

While working at 4GG, he made a cameo in the 1984 Australian film The Coolangatta Gold, which opened the door to television after producer Michael Edgley encouraged him to switch mediums. He later joined Channel 9 as a sports presenter before moving to Channel 7, where his warm personality won over national audiences.

The golden years of Family Feud

In 1990, Brough became the host of Australia’s Family Feud, where he spent five years fronting the popular game show. Despite the fame, he returned to news after the program ended, joining Sunshine Television on the Sunshine Coast just before it was rebranded as Seven News.

What many viewers never realised was the workload he carried. From the Sunshine Coast studio, Brough presented up to seven separate bulletins each weeknight, tailoring them to individual Queensland regions.

Personal tragedy and resilience

Away from the cameras, Brough’s life was marked by tragedy. His son Sammy, who was born with club feet, died from an asthma attack on his third birthday in 1989.

‘I can remember walking through the shops at Christmas the year we lost Sammy and watching people buying toys for their children and wanting to scream that I'd lost my little mate,’ Brough recalled.

The heartbreak inspired him to fundraise for children’s health charities, including a 2014 ride from Sydney to Brisbane that raised $16,000 for the Children’s Hospital Foundation, despite illness preventing him from completing it.

A father’s choice once again

Decades later, another health battle struck the family. His daughter Jess Willmott was diagnosed with breast cancer, later developing secondary brain cancer.

‘It was just an easy choice for me to leave work and spend as much time as I could around her and her family,’ he said.

Rob stepped away from television last year to be with Jess and her children on the Sunshine Coast, praising his daughter’s strength: ‘But she's a hell of a kid. My goodness, she's such a fighter. She's such a beautiful girl.’

Beyond broadcasting

Brough’s influence extended beyond television. He built a reputation as a rugby league coach, developing Mountain Creek State High School’s Rugby League School of Excellence and leading Kawana Dolphins’ senior team.

In 2016, his side lost the grand final to Maroochydore Swans 18-14, with Brough later admitting the opposition’s fast play put his team on the back foot.

He also pursued cinematography in recent years, learning to capture life’s small but meaningful moments behind the camera.

A lasting legacy

Despite decades in the spotlight, Brough always downplayed his fame.

‘I’ve never seen television as being anything more than what it is—a job that I’ve enjoyed doing,’ he said.

When asked about his career, he added: ‘I’ve just been very, very lucky to have had such an enjoyable career in broadcasting, and to those people who’ve asked and genuinely been interested in what’s unfolded, thank you.’

It is this humility—combined with his devotion to family—that explains why Queenslanders still hold him close, even in his absence.

Stories like this show that even the most familiar faces on our screens sometimes step away from long careers to focus on what matters most outside the studio.

It’s never an easy decision, but many presenters eventually reach a point where personal priorities outweigh professional routines. If you’re interested in another example, here’s a look at a well-known news anchor who also decided to close a remarkable chapter in broadcasting.

Read more: Veteran presenter bids farewell to 9News after 17 golden years. Why?

Rob Brough’s decision to put family before career reminds us that the most important legacy is not professional success, but being there for the people we love when they need us most.